Don't You Remember?
by MusicLover011
Summary: Alice wants to return to Wonderland after all these years? Will she be able to go back? And if she goes back, will The Hatter even want her there? One-Shot


_**So, here I sit, thinking of yet another story idea. I was listening to Adele and got the idea to write a Alice In Wonderland story. This will just be a one-shot. Enjoy.**_

It had been many years since Alice had seen the Hatter. Even after all these years, she still remembered it as though it was yesterday. Her last trip to Wonderland, that is. Everyday, without fail, she'd find her thoughts drifting back to the events that took place. The Red Queen trying to kill her. The White Queen who needed her help to overthrow her sister. And of course, The Mad Hatter. She had always wondered how her life would have played out if she had stayed. She had been tempted many times to try and go back. But she didn't dare. In the real world, she had obligations. Obligations, which at the time, seemed important.

As always, she had to think of others, not of herself. She needed to get back to her mother and her father's old business partner. Now she was alone in this bland real world. She didn't marry. None of the suitors who came to her were what she really wanted. She couldn't help that she wanted him. She couldn't help but miss everything about him. In comparasion to him, there was no one who could even come close. Alice sighed and looked out the window of her carriage. She doubted that he even thought of her. She couldn't blame him if he moved on with his life. Still, she had to try.

That is why she was on her way now back to her childhood home. What she was hoping to find there, she didn't know. She didn't want to set herself up for the bitter disappointment for hoping that maybe, just maybe, she could still get back to that one place that felt like home. Back to her friends. But most importantly, back to him. She was deeply lost in thought when they pulled up to the old place. Alice stepped out and looked up at her home. It was dark inside and the outside hadn't been kept in years, the ivy vines climbing the walls, claiming it for their own. That's not what she was here for though.

Walking towards the garden, she kept her eyes open, hoping that maybe a certain white rabbit would come along. Though it had been many years, she still knew the pathway like the back of her hand. Quicken her step as she got near, she couldn't help but smile. The smile immediately left her face when she reached what she feared would be there. Or more accurately, what she knew wouldn't be there. Alice fell to the ground and let out a small, strangled sob, closing her eyes, trying to fight the tears that were already falling. She sat there like this for what seemed like hours, though it she figured it had only been minutes. She didn't dare open her eyes, knowing that if she did, it would only make it that much harder to leave. After a while, when no more tears were left to shed, she still refused to open her eyes.

That is, until she heard a familiar voice say "You've been late for a very important date.". Alice opened up her eyes to see none other then the White Rabbit staring back at her with his signature pocket watch. She reached out and touched him, not believing it until her hand came in contact with soft, white fur. "Well, what are you waiting for? You are still really Alice, aren't you?" he asked, causing her to chuckle. "Of course it's really Alice." she answered back, wiping her eyes before standing up. "Come on then! Like I said, your late for a very important date!" he told her before disappearing in the hole that wasn't there before. Alice went down the rabbit hole without a second thought, feeling butterflies in her stomach as she fell.

She giggled to herself as she landed in the old familiar room, breaking off a small piece of the cake that would make her taller and placing it on the floor before drinking some of the drink that she knew would make her shorter. She shrunk and looked around and saw the dress the Hatter had made her the last time she was this small. She ran over to it and slipped it on before running back to the piece of cake and putting it in her pocket. When she reached the door though, she hesitated. Would it still be like before? Like how she left it? Or will everyone have moved on and forgotten her? Maybe this was a mistake. What if the one person she wanted to see the most refuse to see her? Her mind calmed though as she remembered what the Hatter had taught her. To think of the impossible so that you may be able to do it.

"Okay... #1 It is impossible to go through this door." She whispers to herself as she opens the door. She gasps as she looks around. Everything was the same, if not better. Everything seemed brighter. As she walked through Wonderland, she remembered the piece of cake. _"No need to eat it now, I'd have nothing to wear."_ she thought to herself. The White Rabbit was nowhere to be found, and though the place seemed familiar, she had no idea how to get to the place that she'd been dreaming about ever since she left. "Ah Alice. I see you have returned to what you yearned for. Would you like any help or would you rather suit yourself?" the Cheshire Cat rhymed to her as he appeared above her.

"You haven't changed a bit. Do you know if the Hatter is having a tea party today?" Alice asked, hoping he'd be helpful for once. "The better question to ask if when is he not?" he answered back with a grin. Alice scowled at him before he continued. "Follow your instinct since you two are so in synch." the Cheshire Cat told her before slowly disappearing. "Helpful as always... #2, it will be impossible to find him." she told herself and she trekked on. She walked, without a sense of direction, just walked with a purpose that kept her going.

After what seemed like forever, she knew she was near when she heard the maniacal laughter that she knew belonged to the Hatter's companions. Alice walked near the site, hiding in the bushes. She surveyed the scene and her heart stopped for a second when she saw him. She blinked a few times, making sure she saw correctly. But there he sat, laughing with his companions, pouring tea into his cup. She looked and saw his eyes did not hold the same laughter that he was projecting with his voice. _"#3 It is impossible to let him know I am here."_ she thought before taking a shaky breath and walking out into the open. They did not notice her at first, until she walked close to the raggedy table.

"Hello." she called from below. The Hatter looked down and when he saw her, his eyes brightened up. He stood and went to her, picking her up and placing her into his open palm. "Could it be... Really Alice?" The Hatter asked, not sure if he should trust what is in front of his eyes. Alice gave him a small smile and nodded. His eyes went though different stages in 5 seconds. They went from light green to a darker green. "Your back. And you're a lot smaller then I remembered." he said in a deep, Irish accent before looking at his friends. "Tea time is over. A Very Merry Unbirthday to you both." he told them. When they walked off, he started walking with her in his hand, not speaking, just staring straight ahead.

"Hatter. Are you alright?" Alice breathed the question out, already regretting coming back. _"He doesn't want me anymore. I've been gone too long. He's probably mad that I showed back up." _she thought to herself before he finally spoke. "I'm not sure. I have all these feelings crawling under my skin like blood. Just give me a second." he told her. The rest of the way she was quiet, The Hatter mumbling something every now and then and looking at her. When they finally arrived, Alice saw that they were at a small cottage. _"This must be where he lives."_ she thought as he opened the door with his free hand.

He went to a table and set her down before walking to a candle and lighting. He then went into the next room and returned with a beautiful blue dress. He placed in on the table and picked her up. She saw that his eyes had returned to a slightly lighter green as he placed her on the ground. "There's a dress for you to change in." he said and left into the other room. Alice took out the piece of cake she was carrying and took a bite from it. She felt that familiar sensation as her body grew back to her original size. She placed a hand on the dress that the Hatter brought her, admiring it's silky feel before she slipped it on.

"You can come back Hatter." Alice spoke, wanting to say that he never had to leave, but stopping herself. He stepped back in and took a deep breath, looking her up and down. "You look... Absolutely stunning." he breathed out before crossing the room to be closer to her. She blushed and said thanks. They sat in silence, both figuring out what to say after all this time. It was her that broke the silence first. "I'm sorry." is all she got out before she felt a few tears dropping from her eyes onto her cheeks.

The Hatter walked closer, wiping away her tears with his thumb, leaving a trail of icy fire where he touched her. "Why Alice? You could have stayed. I would've taken care of you. I know I maybe a little... Mad sometimes, but I..." he stopped and Alice saw him battle himself for the right words. "I've waited this whole time. I never once forgot about you. Now that you've decided to finally come back, all I can think is why?" he got out before he moved away from her, pacing the floor near the table with the candle.

"I wish I could have explained myself that day. Why I thought I needed to leave. Believe me, I didn't want to. It took everything in me to fight the urge to stay here forever. But I left because I had obligations." Alice told him, holding herself back from saying the words that may make or break him. He stopped pacing for a moment, looking at her with the most pained expression on his face before pacing again. She took a breath and knew she needed to say this now. "I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay here with you. I was scared though." she said. He stopped pacing once more, this time looking out the window before slowly turning to her. "We all have fears Alice. The difference though is how we handle those fears." he stated as she began to cry again.

"I know. I just... I was scared that after a while, you'd realize that you didn't want me to stay after all." she choked out before sitting down in a nearby chair. The Hatter walked towards her, reaching out like he was about to hug her before retracting his arms stiffly by his sides. "Alice... I would've never thought it. Your the best thing to ever come to Wonderland, and more importantly, to my life. When I asked you to stay, I meant it." he said sadly, turning away from her once more. "I thought of you all the time when I left. You were always a constant thought. But I understand if you'd want me to leave again." Alice said as she stood, slowly walking towards the door.

The Hatter turned around and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards him. "Never again do I want you to leave. You could stay here with me. I'd do my best to make you happy Alice. Because that's all I've ever wanted is for you to be happy. Alice I... I love you." The Hatter told her. Alice grabbed his other hand in hers before she spoke. "I'll never leave again. Ever since I've left I've been wanting to tell you the same thing that I love you. In this moment you've made me the happiest because you love me back. And that's all I've ever wanted." Alice said before moving closer to him. He closed the distance and kissed her.

The kiss started out innocently at first, growing in passion with every passing minute. He was the one to break it off first, peppering her cheeks with kisses as he sighed out "I love you"'s. Alice took him in her arms and whispered the same. Then the Hatter put his hand under her chin and lifted her head so she could look him in the eyes. He gazed intently before whispering, "Alice, why is a raven like a writing desk?". Alice grinned before answering, "I have absolutely no idea.". They both smiled, knowing that all is as it should be in their strange, mad world.

_**Alright, so what'd you think? I ship The Hatter and Alice all the way. I mean, that scene where he asked her to stay, it's so beautiful. God I wish she would have. Anyways, please review and let me know what you think. And favorite it if you like it. If you're not busy, you might want to check out my other stories too. Reviews make me super happy! Please and Thank You!**_


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